Now the "Rancid Rasher from Redditch" has the temerity to attempt justification of her wrongdoing ..

Speaking today, Miss Smith said: 'You may or may not have seen the front of The Sun but they are having a bit a go at me today because two prisoners who were coming towards the end of their sentence and doing work experience carried out about three hours' work at my house doing a bit of decorating.'It hadn't been cleared with the prison authorities in advance and they've now launched an inquiry and The Sun is having a go at me.

'Well, just to set, I hope, the record a little bit straight, these are guys that were working with a local community organisation in Redditch, a community organisation that actually gives work experience opportunities to prisoners as they come towards the end of their sentence'They do a whole range of odd jobs and working in the local community - I think a really good scheme and really well done by this community group.

'On one day, when actually they didn't have anything else on, they did come to my house and do three hours-worth of painting, for which me and my husband made a donation to the community group.'